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Temple Run

Temple Run is a fast fun game for two, three or four players. The box says from ages 8+ but The Boy is only just 7 and he thinks its great. Anyone with slow reactions might struggle to pick this up, but otherwise its great fun and easy to learn.

The contents included in the box are:

The Talking Idol Timer ( 3xAAA batteries not included, and a screwdriver to open the compartment up)

4 character cards

56 Move cards

Instruction booklet (small and only 2 sides)

There was a lot of packing in the box and once you take this out you have the idol and a small plastic zip lock bag for the cards. The box could be a lot smaller and would be nice and portable if a bit stronger card had been used.

To set up the game you each choose a character card to remind you which runner you are. You set a switch on the Idol timer to how many people are playing, and then deal out the correct number of cards each (12 if playing with 2 or 3 players and 10 if playing a 4 player game)

Next lay your cards face up in front of you. (set these how you like, we put the right on the right etc) The instructions say you can do this how you choose. The remaining cards are face down in the middle and then you decide where the discard pile will be. Make sure you can all reach the idol and press start to begin. The idol will call out a runner followed by a card and you have 3 seconds to discard the correct card. Once you have done this hit the idol for the next player. If you get it wrong or you are not quick enough you need to take an extra card from the pack.You will hear the monkey noise if you are too slow. If the idol says pass you can pass one of your cards to another player, and carry on. If you need to pause the game you just press and hold the idol and he will stop. The winner is the person to get rid of their cards first!

We played this as a family and picked it up really quickly, its great with any number of players, and with two you have to listen and think very fast as you only have 3 seconds to react. The boy said it was ok, but when asked to pack away, kept asking for just one more game. I thought it was good for hand-eye co-ordination, and you could bend the rules for younger players by letting them use one hand for the timer and the other to dispose of the card. I played with Daddy, and it got a little competitive.

I think this would be a great Christmas game, and I am sure we will get it out quite a bit. I might even be tempted to keep it in a bag for when we go out, sometimes we take cards to play while waiting for food in a restaurant, but this would be very portable. At $19.99 (the only place I could find in the UK to purchase was quoting £17.80) I think this is a little expensive and I guess you are paying in part for the TM name. I have never played the App so don’t know how true to it, it is?

This game is great fun and I would give this 4.5 out of 5 The packaging is the only thing that lets it down.